Victor Boyhan demands publication of Shannon's side report
Victor Boyhan spoke about the suspension and investigation of Shannon's side food plant in County Kildare and urged publication of the delayed final report into alleged animal welfare abuses at Ireland's only licensed equine abattoir. He pressed that the Department of Agriculture's regulatory role and veterinary inspectors' oversight be examined and called for a further Dáil debate once the report is published.
RTE investigation highlighted abuses
Victor Boyhan acknowledged the RTE primetime investigates programme for initially exposing allegations of animal welfare abuses and cruelty in the treatment of horses sent for slaughter at the licensed equine abattoir.
Department action and ongoing investigation
He noted that last year the Department of Agriculture confirmed it fully suspended operations at Shannon's side food plant in County Kildare and that he received correspondence from the minister confirming the department continues to work in collaboration with in Garda Shaqana on an extensive investigation.
Concerns about regulatory oversight
He expressed concern about the delay in publication of the final report and said he expects the report to address the Department of Agriculture's regulatory obligations in law and the role of veterinary inspectors who were present on many occasions at the site.
Parliamentary debate and committee involvement
Victor Boyhan recalled extensive discussion of the matter in the House, in the Dáil and in the Joint Oireachtas Committee of Agriculture Food and the Marine of which he was a member, and he urged a further debate once the report is published.
Call for publication and accountability
He called specifically for the publication of the full report, to push the findings into the public domain and to ensure accountability for those responsible as part of the broader investigation.
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Last year the Department of Agriculture confirmed that it fully suspended the operations of Shannon's side food plant in County Kildare. There was much discussion on this House as there was in the Joint Oireachtas Committee of Agriculture Food and the Marine of which I was a member and indeed there was a lot of discussion debate about this issue in the Dáil but I want to first acknowledge the amazing work of the RTE primetime investigates because they initially investigated this and highlighted this on the national media. The allegations concerned were in relation to animal welfare abuses and cruelty that had been exposed in the treatment of horses being sent for slaughter at Ireland's only licensed equine abattoir. I am concerned with the delay in the final report being published in relation to all of the issues surrounding the Shannon side operation and I expect that the role of the Department of Agriculture in overseeing all regulatory aspects of the operation will also be covered and that is one of my concerns. It is all very well to investigate Shannon's side food plant but it's also important that we look at the regulatory obligations in law that are bestowed on the Department of Agriculture and their veterinary inspectors who were present on many occasions on this site. Therefore I think it is important that we have all of the facts. I wish to confirm that last week I received correspondence from the minister confirming that his department continues to work in collaboration with in Garda Shaqana in undertaking and I quote an extensive investigation into the serious matters at the Shannon side foods plant that were highlighted by the RTE primetime investigates program to ensure there was accountability for those responsible. So today I'm asking for the publication it's a long time now I want the publication of this report I want to push into the public domain and I want a further debate when that report is fully published. Thank you.
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